The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-18
SEYENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS,
A Complete History of a Peculiar People
Objects of the Faith.

|
| Objects of the Faith.
| Cleveland Leader.
| Seventh-day Adventists as a denomination
date their rise from about 1S47. At present they
number about 80, 0oo They have over 500
churches, with 400 ministers and licentiates,
with many colporteurs and mission
| workers. They rapidly growing and extend
ing their work in all parts of the world. While
| they firmly believe In the personal coming Of
Christ. they have date fixed for that event.
| Although they believe the prophecies de-
| sgne to be understood, and that in the last
| days great light will be shed upon them, when
men shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be
| increased" yet they do not believe that any
prophetic period given in the Bible reaches to
the coming of Christ, designed to mark
the day year of that event. The foolish
time-setting movements of First-day Adventsts
| have brought reproach upon the Advent
| name, and it is natural that the Seventh day
Adventists should repudiate all connection with
them Their organization is very simple. A
body of believers associate together, taking the
| name of Seventb-day Adventists and attaching
their names to a covenant to keep the command
ments of God and the faith of Jesus. The Bible
| is their only creed. A clerk IS chosen to keep
| the records of the church, and elder, elected
| by the vote of the church. is ordained to look
| after the spiritual interests 1t the church is
large. its temporal affairs are assigned to one or
| more deacons, chosen by vote of the church
| for this purpose. They hold that the terms ell
| der, bishop and pastor, signify the same officer.
| lists are not ordained ministers who travel
| from place to place to preach the
gospel, and are the only ones competent
to ordain local elders and deacons. Their MIN
listers are called elders" They claim that the
title reverend" should never be applied to man.
1t is found but once in the Bible, and then is ap-
piled to God only. Psalm cxi, g. They recog-
nize the ten commandments to be of supreme
authority; hence they observe the seventh day,
Saturday. as the Sabbath. They believe in
a change of heart called conversion, similar to
the faith of the orthodox churches. Immersion
is the only mode of baptism recognized by them.
They m aintain that life and Immortality are not
odh h,t hn rphf and ro2 hxy
means OF the gospel, through Jesus Christ
They main tain that unrepentant sinners who
reject Christ and refuse to obey the law of
God, will perish, and be utterly consumed
in the renovating fires of the day of Cod
that this earth will be restored to its Edenic
glory. and become the eternal home of the
saved, where pain, death, sin and sorrow shall
be They believe that the present gem
Grafton will witness the coming of the Lord and
the end of all things The churches in each
State are organized into State conferences The
State conference annually elects an executive
committee of three five, who have the over
sight of the work in the conference during the
year. These various State conferences, en-
bracng several conferences in Europe. are
canized in one general conference They
nualy elect executive committee of seven,
who have the general oversight OF the various
State conferences and missions in all parts of
world. At present Elder George T. Butler, of
Battle Creek, Mich, is the president of the
general conference. Some two or three of
the executive committee are in Europe
other foreign country most of the time. They
They have also missions to Switzerland. Ger
mapy. Scotland. England. Norway, Denmark,
Sweden, France. Italy. Russia, South Africa,
South America, Australia and New Zealand.
They have seven publishing houses located in
the following places Battle Creek, Mich; Oak
land Cal. South Lancaster, Mass; Great
Grimsby, England; Basic. Switzerland Christi
ana, Norway; and Sumarlde, Victoria. Australia
The combined capital invested in these publish
ing houses is half million dollars. They con-
stantly employ these houses of publication
about 300 men, preparing their own publications
to be sent out to the world. They
icals in eight different languages.
The monthly circulation of these papers is
something over $4,000 copies. To give the
publishing house in Battle Creek, Mich which
is recognized being the largest and best
equipped publishing house in the State. the
Leader is permitted TO present item regard
ing their work They have used during the
past year over 40 tons Of paper. This would
fill % cars. loaded with 20 tons each. This rep
lieve they have a world wide message to go to
all parts of the globe These energetic methods |
of publishing are good evidence that they be-
Geve what they preach. This reading matter is |
quite largely circulated by the International Mis-
sionary Society, which is thoroughly organized |
throughout America and Europe. City mis-
sions are established in New York, Boston, |
Philadelphia New Orleans, Buffalo, Chicago, |
San Francisco. Washington. D. c., Cleveland |
and Toledo, Grand Rapids, Mich. and many |
other large cities throughout the States. Ship
missions also established in the leading
port towns which constantly supplying yes
sells with their books and papers, to be sent to
nations, kndreds. tongues and peoples. They
have fourishing colleges. at Battle
Creek. Mich. and one in Healdsburg, Cal, with
hundreds of students in attendance; besides 9TH
er schools in different states From their schools
and colleges. they send out annually many mis-
sionary workers to different parts of the world,
disse NINA ting their peculiar points of faith.
They own and conduct the largest sanitarium
in the world, located at Battle Creek. Mich,
where they have treated successfully
the improved facilities for the treatment of all
forms of disease. Every remedial agent of
known value is employed. and large corps of
physclans and nurses hold positions In the IN
stitution Another institution of similar char
acter is the Rural Health Retreat. at st. Hell
ena, Cal. 1t is located on the side of Howell
l. 200 feet above the sea level. and 500
feet above and overlooking Napa valley. one
of the most beautiful and picturesque in Ameri-
ca. This is becoming very popular resort,
and many of the afflicted of humanity
finding their wasted energies restored by a
few months stay at the Retreat TEMPER
ance is a fundamental plank in the religion
of this BODY. They not only discard all intoxi-
eating liquors. but strenuouslv oppose the
of tobacco in every form. They very largely
discard the of tea and coffee and pork
articles of diet believing their use to be detri-
mental to health. The believe that many So
called temperance advocates, who are intoxicat-
ed with tobacco and opiates, do not properly
the temperance platform, which is
broad enough to cover the violation of every
physical law ard the use of every unnatural
stmuant
About two hundred large tents, which have
no connection with the camp-meeting, now
in the field in which evagelists of this faith are
holding series of meetings. These are usually
located in towns villages. This year they
will hold about fifty camp-meetings (similar to
the in this city, reaching from Maine to
California. Many thousands of people attend
these gatherings. which chiefly held in large
,ities and towns The excellent rules adopted
and properly enforced secure the best of order
throughout the meetings. The president of
The conference and manager of this meeting
states that their universal experience in the
past in conducting these meetings is that as
perfect order and quiet&brevail as is generally
secured in the best conducted services at the
churches.
A Narrow House.
North